Essays on Australian Architecture and the Sydney School
Added on 2023-04-22
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Running head: Ancient History
Ancient History
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note
Ancient History
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note
1ANCIENT HISTORY
1. Nationalism and Reform in Australian Architecture Cornard Hamann
The essay entitled, ‘Nationalism and Reform in Australian Architecture’ explores the
feeling that was prevalent in Australia between 1880 and 1920 1 as to how one could serve the
interests of a distinct national style. This feeling led to the formation of three branches of
architecture. They include ‘Queen Anne’ or Federation Villa, a colonial revival and thirdly,
architecture that was termed by Robin Boyd as ‘pioneer modern.’3 Conrad Hamann first in-
troduced some styles of the late nineteenth century that Australians experimented, including the
American Romanesque, Shingle Style, and the red brick architecture by Norman Shaw 4 and his
contemporaries who were from England. All three styles ensured that the Australian architecture
was reformative in nature. All three styles have been hailed as the ancestors of modern
architecture.
The Federation Villa design used red brick and Norman Shaw details, but not essential to
the basic composition.6 It was more based on the homestead form. The style was versatile that
the form appeared in different kinds of buildings and could "take extremes of either ornament or
plainness"7, adapting to various functions.
The Colonial Revival Style was identified with Hardy Wilson’s Colonial Georgian
building 8. It can be traced as early as colonial architect James Barnet ’s design and research in
1870s 9. Thomas Sisley in Melbourne argued for a homestead revival for its simple and
functional form 10.
Some other architects brought foreign reform styles to the homestead revival while Hardy
Wilson's revival was pure revivalism with Australian motifs 12. The Radicals' work was parallel
to the modern architectural development in Europe and America 13. Having similar idea with
Hardy Wilson, Robert Haddon considered the simplification of form and interplay with
1. Nationalism and Reform in Australian Architecture Cornard Hamann
The essay entitled, ‘Nationalism and Reform in Australian Architecture’ explores the
feeling that was prevalent in Australia between 1880 and 1920 1 as to how one could serve the
interests of a distinct national style. This feeling led to the formation of three branches of
architecture. They include ‘Queen Anne’ or Federation Villa, a colonial revival and thirdly,
architecture that was termed by Robin Boyd as ‘pioneer modern.’3 Conrad Hamann first in-
troduced some styles of the late nineteenth century that Australians experimented, including the
American Romanesque, Shingle Style, and the red brick architecture by Norman Shaw 4 and his
contemporaries who were from England. All three styles ensured that the Australian architecture
was reformative in nature. All three styles have been hailed as the ancestors of modern
architecture.
The Federation Villa design used red brick and Norman Shaw details, but not essential to
the basic composition.6 It was more based on the homestead form. The style was versatile that
the form appeared in different kinds of buildings and could "take extremes of either ornament or
plainness"7, adapting to various functions.
The Colonial Revival Style was identified with Hardy Wilson’s Colonial Georgian
building 8. It can be traced as early as colonial architect James Barnet ’s design and research in
1870s 9. Thomas Sisley in Melbourne argued for a homestead revival for its simple and
functional form 10.
Some other architects brought foreign reform styles to the homestead revival while Hardy
Wilson's revival was pure revivalism with Australian motifs 12. The Radicals' work was parallel
to the modern architectural development in Europe and America 13. Having similar idea with
Hardy Wilson, Robert Haddon considered the simplification of form and interplay with
2ANCIENT HISTORY
Australia's distinctive light 14. An example includes George Sydney Jones use of flat roofs and
reduced decoration 15.
Lastly, Hamann describes how those movements declined after the First World War. The
designers inclined more towards the foreign “allies” and less towards nationalism 16, yet the
styles became the precedents to the later development in Australian architecture.
2. Dialectic of Desire and Disappointment Winsome Callister
Australia's distinctive light 14. An example includes George Sydney Jones use of flat roofs and
reduced decoration 15.
Lastly, Hamann describes how those movements declined after the First World War. The
designers inclined more towards the foreign “allies” and less towards nationalism 16, yet the
styles became the precedents to the later development in Australian architecture.
2. Dialectic of Desire and Disappointment Winsome Callister
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